Ladder.



No. 666,948. Patented Ianl29, I90l. Y.

A F. C. WEISS. fg'

LADDER.

(Application led Oct. 19. 1900.)

(No Model.)

V1 y l l il i; Il `l Il U il Il M l: u i y Y 1 l E n l g l i i l i i l l K """`l Tn: Norms persas co. vuuomfno.. wAsmnoYou. nA c.

NiTED STATES FREDERICK C. WEISS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,948, dated January 29, 1901. Application filed October 19, 1900. Serial No. 33,554. KNO model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK C. WEISS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladders, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to ladders; and its object is to provide a ladder with an improved extensible foot, so that the ladder may be stood upon inclined places with its stiles and rungs in proper position for mounting.

The invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements, and combinations of the parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lower portion of a ladder embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the stile which is provided with an extensible foot. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of said stile, its cover-plate being removed. Fig. 5 is an inner face view of said cover-plate. Fig. 6 is a transverse diametrical section of the same on the line 6 6, Fig. 5.

My im proved ladder comprises stiles A and A', connected together bya suitable number of rungs c. A metal foot bis secured to the lower end of the stile A, and an extensible foot B, forming the subject of my invention, is adj ustably secured to the other stile A'.

The extensible foot comprises a tube c, preferably of metal and non-circular in crosssection, and is attached to the lower end of stile A and is immovable thereon. Within said tube the tubular non-circular extensible foot B telescopes and is movable in and out of said tube, being provided with an annular shoulder d to abut against the lower edge of the immovable tubel c to limit its inward movement. 'Inside of the extension-foot B is a longitudinally-disposed sleeve C, provided with two superposed sets of laterally-extending cross-arms e, which abut against the walls of the said foot and are secured thereto by screws/f, which are inserted through the Walls of the foot from the outside thereof, and as their heads contact with the inner sides of the tube c, as shown in Fig. 2, they are prevented from becoming unscrewed. The sleeve C is also provided with interior screw-threads, in which a screw-rod g works to move the extensible foot B in and out of the immovable tube c. The upper end of the said screw-rod g is fitted through an opening in a horizontal plate h, secured within the immovable tube c, and above said plate `the screw-rod is provided wth a bevel-pinion fi, resting upon the upper surface of said plate. Thus the screwrod can turn, but cannot recede nor advance. Said pinion t' meshes with another bevel-pinion j, secured on a horizontal spindle lc, which is journaled at one end in a bearing Z on the inside of the immovable tube c. The other end of said spindle is journaled in a coverplate m, secured by screws over an opening fm. in the tube c, and just inside said plate the spindle is provided with a ratchet-wheel n, with which a gravity-pawl o, pivoted on` the inside of the cover-plate, engages. A

key p, mounted in said cover-plate m, is provided on its end with a cam p', which is adapted by turning the key to engage and retract the pawl o from the ratchet-wheel n when it is desired to move the extensible foot B inwardly within the tube c. The outer end of the spindle k is squared, as shown at k', Fig. 4f, and a crank-handle r removably engages said square end to turn the spindle in order to operate the screw g and move the extensible foot B.

In practical operation when it is desired to stand the ladder on an inclined place where one stile is required to be longer than the other, the crank-handle r is turned, as just described, to move the extensible foot B outwardly in the tube cior the purpose of lengtheniug the stile. The pawl o will ride over the ratchet-wheel until the desired extension is eifected, when it will drop into a tooth of said wheel and prevent the foot from sliding inwardly. When it is desired to slide the foot inwardly to shorten the stile, the key p is turned to retract the pawl o from the ratchet-wheel n, when the foot can be readily moved in by turning the crank-handle r.

My invention is especially intended for ladders for flremens uses, and it will be especially noted that when the handle r is removed no part of the mechanism projects outside of the stiles, so that the ladders may be conveniently stacked on a truck.

IOO

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A ladder provided with a tube at the lower end of one stile; an extensible tubular foot telescoping said tube and provided on its interior with a screw threaded sleeve; a screw-rod working in said sleeve and couneeted with said tube; and means for turn- Ic ing said screw-rod, as set forth.

2. A ladder provided with au immovable tube at the lower end of one stile; an eXtensible tubular foot teleseoping said immovable tube; an interiorly-screw-tlireaded sleeve inside said tubular foot and provided with laterally-extending cross-arms rigidly secured to said tubular foot; a screw-rod connected with said immovable tube and Working in said sleeve and provided at its upper end 2o with a pinion; a spindle in said immovable tube provided with a pinion meshed with the first-named pinion and also provided with a ratchet-wheel; a pawl engaging said ratchetwheel; and a handle removably connected with said spindle, as set forth.

3. A ladder provided with an immovable tube at the lower end of one stile; an eXtensible tubular foot telescopinfnr said immovable tube; an interiorly-screW-threaded sleeve inside said tubular foot and provided with laterally-extending cross-arms rigidly secured to said tubular foot; a screw-rod connected with said immovable tube and Working in said sleeve and provided at its upper end With a pinion; a spindle in said immovable tube and provided with a pinion meshed With the first-named pinion and also provided with a 1ateliet-.vheel; a cover-plate secured to said immovable tube and in Whieh one end of said spindle is journaled; a pawl pivoted on the inside of said cover-plate a'nd engaging said ratchet-wheel; a key mounted in said coverplate and provided on its end with a cam which is adapted to engage and retract said pawl from said ratchet-wheel; and a handle connected with said spindle, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I ai'TiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK C. VEISS. lVitn esses:

CHARLES L. VIE'rsoI-i, CHARLES B. MANN, Jr. 

